Invincible
by JustAColoradoGirl
Summary: Has Sunshines sharp tounge gotten the best of him this time? A new character has arrived,,,,,, and it starts chaos for the team. This is a rough story still... i thought i would post it to see if anyone liked it. so REVEIW!! THis was totally CO-WRITTE
1. Authors note

Authors Note: Hey Guys..i am so glad that everyone has loved this story so much. THIS WAS A COWRITTEN piece. I want to thank sarah so much for all her help with this and really contributing a lot. I will try to write more as soon as I get a break.my life has really picked up...and I have so many engagements. Well please read and review more. Sarah has a pen name on FF.net.. its QuallianMaghouin..and she has written a wonderful story called Roses and Remembrances..if your into RTT stories...its a must read. 


	2. Default Chapter

Invincible? Chapter one  
  
Ronny "Sunshine" Bass ducked out of the way as an offending green pillow sailed past his head, hitting the back of a retreating Louie Lastik. "You know, Blue, one of these days you're just going to have to admit it. No one can beat Lou's mamma jokes." Sunshine smiled at the larger Titan as he plopped down on the floor, leaning against the couch.  
  
A few of the guys had taken up Gerry Bertier's invitation to an after-game party at his house. It had become a tradition of sorts, the host changing, depending on who had the empty house. Sometimes they wouldn't begin until late into the night, and last well into the next. Other times, when games were lost, they would just sit around, snapping at each other and licking their wounds.  
  
Tonight it was just seven of them. Blue and Rev were sitting on one couch, trying to get a decent station on the radio. From the sounds of it, Louie was hunting up some party food in the kitchen. Julius, Gerry, and Alan were going over the game, trying to find anything in the plays that needed improving.  
  
As much as Sunshine loved football, their conversation was boring the hell out of him. Reaching over Rev he snagged the green pillow's twin and lobbed it at the back of Julius' head., with just enough time to pretend he was watching the TV. Big Ju turned to look at sun.staring him down in his one and only way.  
  
Sunshine tried to look innocent, but when his mouth started twitching into a smile, he decided he had better distract him.  
  
"So where's Petey? He never misses the after-games." That was true. For more than just the party. Some of the other team-mates had taken to calling the eight of them the 'inner-circle' as a joke, for it was rare you would see one without another. The entire team was close, but the inner circle were family.  
  
"He said he might be late. Wanted to talk to Coach Boone about something"  
  
Sunshine nodded and turned back towards the TV. He saw the pillow out of the corner of his eye, too late to avoid it  
  
"Oww". The blonde smoothed his hair. So much for distracting Ju.  
  
"Hit him again Ju!" Sunshine stuck his tongue out at the owner of the voice, standing in the doorway.  
  
"Pete! You're supposed to be sticking up for me!"  
  
"Not against Big Ju, bro. You're on your own with him." Petey ducked back into the kitchen "Come on in man, they're not going to bite". A dark- skinned boy, a little taller than his friend, followed Petey into to the living room.  
  
Blue snickered. "Well, Sunshine bites, but he usually asks permission fist.." Sunshine smacked Blue on the leg.  
  
"Guys, this is Randy Smith. He used to play QB on my old team. Coach's going to give him a try-out during our next few practices. Randy, you know Rev. And this is Blue, Sunshine, Alan, Gerry, and Julius." Each of them nodded a greeting as their names were called.  
  
"And that's Louie" Louie slapped Randy on the back as he passed him, throwing the boy slightly off balance.  
  
Randy grimaced. "Hi."  
  
Petey perched on the arm of the couch, while Randy grabbed an empty chair, studying the blonde football player on the floor.  
  
He reminded Randy of a dog he once owned. A flea bitten mutt that had gotten run over by a car. 'Sunshine', that even sounded like a name for a dog. Sitting there at ,Blue was it? What the hell ever happened to normal names? Sitting there at Blue's feet like a loyal puppy. God, it was embarrassing him, and he wasn't even on the team. Yet. He didn't know how the other guy's stood it. Well, he did actually. They didn't have a choice. Sunshine was the best quarterback they had. They couldn't afford to kick him out on his ass with the game on the line.  
  
"So, you're trying out for QB? You must be good if Coach isn't waiting 'till summer training."  
  
"I'm pretty good." 'better than you'.  
  
"He's more than 'pretty good'." Petey added. "Might even give you a run for your money Sunshine."  
  
Randy caught Sunshine's eye and had to hide his scowl. He forced himself to smile at the other boy instead, but quickly turned away. He looked at Gerry. "You got anything to drink around here?"  
  
"Yeah sure, there should be something in the fridge. Help yourself."  
  
Rev looked up from the radio. " Hey while you're up. Grab me something."  
  
"Me too?" Petey added.  
  
"Lazy bums." Sunshine pushed off the floor. "I'll help you with the drinks. "  
  
"Hey Sun, since you're up."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Get you a drink. Sure thing Alan."  
  
In the kitchen Randy leaned against the refrigerator, his smile melting instantly. "I want you to quit the team."  
  
Sunshine blinked in surprise. "Eh, excuse me?"  
  
"I want you to quit." Randy talked slowly, as if explaining to a child. " If.. when. I join the team Boone's just going to bench me. Wouldn't want it to look like he's favoring his people, after all." He let a sneer of contempt momentarily cross his face.  
  
"I don't know what you're expecting from Coach Boone, but he's not like that. If you're any good, he'll let you play."  
  
"Not while you're around he won't." Randy's voice rose, but he was careful to keep it low enough so he wouldn't be heard in the other room. "See, Boone didn't piss off enough people by just letting the blacks and whites play together. He had to go and let a faggot play for his team too."  
  
Sunshine clenched his fists, feeling his nails bite into the palm of his hands. His voice, deadly calm as he got closer to Randy. "What did you jus- "  
  
"Hey guys, ya'll get lost in- what's going on?" Petey had only seen that look once, and from Sunshine, that look was never a good thing. Randy's sneer vanished instantly.  
  
"Nothing. We were just talking about football" Randy's smile was brighter, and faker, than ever. He pulled a six pack of drinks out of the fridge.  
  
"Football?" Petey caught the drink thrown to him.  
  
"Yeah.football." Sunshine looked at his watch. "Hey, Petey, I got to go." 'No I don't.' "Promised my dad I'd be home early."  
  
Petey looked less than convinced, but didn't challenge the remark. "All right. I'll see you tomorrow though?"  
  
"Yeah. Probably."  
  
"Hey, Ron" Sunshine froze, his hand tightening around the door knob.  
  
"Yeah?" He stared at Randy's reflection in the window, refusing to turn and look at him.  
  
"Think about what I said."  
  
"Whatever." Sunshine left before Randy could say anything else.  
  
The faded red curtains hanging on the door we're still swinging when Petey got his thoughts straightened out. He looked over at his friend. "What was that about?"  
  
Randy shrugged, looking as confused as Petey felt. "I don't know. I was just telling him I couldn't wait 'till I got a chance to play for the Titans. And he just got. really defensive about it." Randy smiled slightly, joking, "Maybe he feels threatened."  
  
Petey laughed, though it fell hollow. Sunshine was always so laid back. It was rare to see him upset about anything, and he had looked ready to jump the other boy. "Well, that's Sunshine. You never can tell what mood he's going to be in. Come on, let's get these drinks to the guys, before they die of thirst." 


	3. Invincible Chap 2

Chapter two  
  
Sunshine let the door slam shut behind him. It was childish, he knew, but it still felt damn good. What an asshole. He set off for home, half running, hoping he could burn off some of his anger. He had put up with bigger jerks than that guy. Why was it bothering him so much this time?  
  
Sunshine thoughts turned to his coat as a cold wind wrapped dead leaves around his legs. He had left it at Gerry's, hanging on the back of a chair. Well, there was nothing for it now. He couldn't go back for it, not with any dignity. He would just have to remember to get it from Garry later.  
  
A car slowed down, and Sunshine held his breath until it passed him. This town was so different from Huntington Beach. On any given night he would have passed crowds of people. Lovers on the beach, teenagers having parties, or just people running, like him. But Alexandria? After dark it reminded him of a cheesy western ghost town, minus the tumble weeds and sandstorms. It was just as safe here as Huntington, which wasn't very reassuring, but it seemed so much more lonely after dark.  
  
"Sunshine! Sunshine! I know you hear me Sunshine! Man, slow down!"  
Sunshine stopped running, letting his teammate catch up with him.  
  
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Blue handed Sunshine his beat up leather jacket, and they started walking.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Nothing my ass. Since when do you just go storming away from a party for nothing?"  
  
"I pr-"  
  
"And don't give me that bullshit you gave Petey."  
  
Sunshine quirked a smile at the larger football player. "Nothing I want to talk about."  
  
Blue nodded his head in understanding. Sooner or later he'd find out what was wrong.  
  
They walked in silence for a few minutes, Sunshine kicking a can in front of him. Finally his curiosity got the better of him. "So, why'd you leave?"  
  
"Hunh?"  
  
"Why'd you leave. The party."  
  
"Someone had to watch your ass. You weren't even thinking straight enough to grab your coat, man. It's not safe to walk around out here in the dark."  
  
"I've done it plenty of times, Blue." He wasn't about to tell him that he had been scared when he thought he heard someone running after him.  
  
"Then you're damn lucky. A brother could get jumped on a night like this."  
  
Sunshine looked around. 'On any night lately, Blue.' By anyone's standards, this was the wrong side of the tracks. The sidewalks had become uneven, weeds cracking through the chalked hopscotch lines on the sidewalk. The few streetlights that worked buzzed nervously, the faint puddles of light wavering. It wasn't the safest shortcut, but it was the fastest. Sunshine shivered, feeling as if someone had just walked over his grave. Glancing at Blue, he was suddenly glad for the company.  
  
"Man, is it creepy out here."  
  
Something knocked over a trashcan, sending it clattering onto the cement a few yards behind them.  
  
"I was trying not to think about it"  
  
A few minutes later they were out of the worst stretch, on the fringe between The Berg and Hill Crest. Stopping in front of a white, two story house, Blue leaned against the mailbox. "This is my stop. You going to be all right?"  
  
"I only live a block away Blue. I'll be fine. You sure you don't want to walk me home though? Meet the old man?" Sunshine grinned and ducked the swat Blue aimed for his head.  
  
"Nah man, I don't think so. See you tomorrow though, right?"  
  
"Yeah. Hey Blue."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thanks man."  
  
"Anytime, bro."  
  
Sunshine started walking again, digging into the pocket of his jeans for his house key as Blue walked inside. His dad wouldn't be home for a while yet, his job keeping him away later than usual the past few nights. It didn't bother him, though. He was used to it.  
  
He had just stepped into the safety of the porch light when a hand reached out and grabbed his shoulder.  
  
"Shit!" Sunshine jerked away, barely catching himself on the step's handrails. The fear that had iced his lungs turned into a burning anger when Randy Smith stepped out of the shadows. Sunshine quickly schooled his _expression into an absolute calm. He had learned long ago, it scared a hell of a lot more people when they couldn't tell exactly how close you were to snapping. "What are you doing here."  
  
"I was just in the neighborhood, figured I'd stop by, see if you're ready to take my advice."  
  
"Just in the neighborhood? You would have had to run halfway across town to get here before me." Sunshine studied the other man. He was trying to look calm, slightly bored, his hands in his pockets. But his toe was tapping nervously, giving him away. Randy was obviously expecting a fight.  
  
"So are you going to quit or not?"  
  
"Or not."  
  
"I'm only going to ask on-"  
  
"What are you so worried about? Afraid you're not good enough to make the cut?" Alright, he had to admit it. That was a little bitchy. But this guy was seriously starting to piss Sunshine off.  
  
"Oh I'll make the cut."  
  
"You sure about that?" That did it. Randy let the façade drop, his face reddening. Sunshine was ready though, and the first swing went wild. He used Randy's forward momentum, grabbing him by the shoulder and jerking the taller boy off balance. Randy fell, but managed to catch the tail of Sunshine's jacket, pulling him down too.  
  
The two boys grappled for the upper hand, slamming into the rocking chairs, and knocking over flower pots stacked near the door. Each giving as many punches as they received. Randy had underestimated his rival, expecting the quarterback to give in under a few veiled threats. The boy wore a necklace for chrissake, how tough could he be? It was a stupid mistake, and if Randy didn't ask fast, it might be one he regretted making.  
  
Randy saw the opportunity. The steps! He just needed to be a little closer. A little more. No, wrong way. There! Sunshine raised his arm to block a blow to the jaw, giving the black boy the freedom he needed. He threw himself to the side sharply, struggling to stay on top as the boys fell down the cement steps. The strategy worked, giving Randy a few precious seconds while Sunshine recovered from the shock of having the other boy's entire weight slam him into the gravel walkway.  
  
Randy straddled Sunshine, raining punches on his vulnerable chest and stomach. Even in the heat of a fight, He knew not to mess up the face more than he had too. Bruises you could hide. But a black eye? That caused way too many questions.  
  
When the boy beneath him stopped trying to fight back, using all his energy to protect himself from the blows instead, Randy knew it was time to put another lesson he learned into effect. Stop while you still have the upper hand.  
  
Levering himself up with a low stone wall he had to jump out of the way as Sunshine tried to pull him down again. Randy sneered at the fallen titan. The sight was just too tempting. He drew back his foot, kicking the other boy in the ribs. "This isn't over!" He vaulted over the wall, running down the street.  
  
Sunshine lay on his back, staring at the old oak branches above him, catching his breath. "This isn't over!" He mimicked. "God, how cliché can you-ahhhshi-" The adrenaline rush was wearing off, the danger past, and Sunshine was just now beginning to appreciate how shitty he really felt. He took a quick mental inventory of the various bumps and bruises. Pounding head, more than likely got that one cracking open a flower pot with his skull. Bloody knuckles. Well that was to be expected. A rock the size of a golf ball digging into his ass. That was going to leave a bruise.  
  
And his ribs. Couldn't forget those. His ribs throbbed, sending angry bolts of pain shooting to the back of his eyelids . Sunshine wasn't sure if ribs were supposed to throb or not, but he was positive it wasn't a good sign.  
  
Grabbing on to the stone wall for balance Sunshine tried to stand up. It wasn't a very good idea. The little bolts became a full fireworks display, complete with flaming screamers. He stayed kneeling on the ground, hunched protectively over his ribs, until he lost track of time.  
  
It was the wind that eventually brought him back, whistling under his jacket, and tugging at his torn shirt.  
  
Sunshine shivered, hissing at the pain the slight movement caused. Unless he wanted to spend the night out here, he would have to get up sometime. But at that moment, a night under the stars was looking pretty good.  
  
He bit his tongue against the pain, standing up slowly, making his way to the steps, He leaned against the banister, trying to catch his breath. How could breathing hurt so much? It took a few minutes, and more than a few muttered profanities to make it to the door.  
  
Luck had finally thrown him a break. The key was in the lock. Thank God, he wasn't sure if he would have been able to pick it up off the floor. He fumbled with the key for a second before the door creaked open. He quickly locked it after him, throwing the key in the basket beside the door. Sunshine paused to catch his breath, leaning against the living room wall. He was suddenly glad his dad hadn't bought that two-story he was looking at when they had first moved here..  
  
Sunshine made his way to his room and sat down gratefully on the edge of his bed. God, he was so tired. He slowly lowered himself down, staring up at the ceiling, belatedly worrying about the mess he was making of his sheets. That could wait, a little bit of dirt wouldn't kill him.  
  
The last thought to cross his mind that night made him snicker, though he had to grit his teeth when his ribs protested. "I only live a block away Blue. I'll be fine. " 


	4. Chap 3

Chapter 3  
  
"Ron, come on, food's ready."  
  
Sunshine pulled a pillow over his head, mumbling something he hoped sounded like English. Generally, he liked mornings just as well as the next guy, but sometimes they just came too early in the day for his tastes. Caught in the blur between wakefulness and oblivion, he could almost ignore his ribs, pulsing in time to his heart.  
  
"Come on sleeping beauty. Up and at 'em. Supper's getting cold."  
  
"I'm up. I'm, wh-wait, you said supper right?" Sunshine cracked open one eye to stare blearily at his father.  
  
"Right. Something wrong with that?"  
  
"Nah, I just-what time is it?"  
  
"About 9. I was beginning to think you weren't going to wake up until Spring. Must have been some party."  
  
"Mmmm, something like that." he knew his father could see the blood on is knuckles and the mud stains on his jeans. He was pretty sure he had seen the mess on the porch too. But his  
father wouldn't ask about them. Colonel Bass respected his son's  
privacy, and wouldn't say a word until Sunshine decided to talk.  
  
Now that he was awake, Sunshine could smell the chili simmering in the kitchen. Usually one of his favorite meals, it made his stomach roll to just think about it tonight. Even if he felt like getting up, he wasn't sure it felt like staying down. "I'm not that hungry dad. I'll just grab something later. You go ahead and eat."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Alright, just don't stay up all night, you've got school tomorrow."  
  
"What!"  
  
"Kidding."  
  
Sunshine relaxed as the curtain separating his room from the living room settled back into place. It was way too early in the day for mind games, even if it was 9 o'clock.  
  
Listening for his father's footsteps, Sunshine sat up, carefully stripping off his shirt, wincing, as he had to raise his arms. In the dim reflection of his wardrobe mirror, the bruises looked spectacular.  
  
Purples and blue's vied for attention among the streaks of angry red and yellow running across his body. He could feel the heat as his hand ghosted inches above the skin.  
  
From hip to collar bone on his left side was an unbroken string of bruises, creeping around his back and spilling out onto his chest, looking for all the world like a child's spilled paint set. He could even see the faint outline of a boot toe digging into his ribs.  
  
Frowning, he let his hand trace the cut on his bottom lip. His chest and stomach were covered, but he didn't have a single bruise on his face, only a few scratches. It didn't strike him as odd. A shirt would easily hide his bruises, no awkward questions to have to avoid. He had to congratulate Smith's ruthlessness.  
  
Sunshine bit back a gasp as he bent over to untie his shoelaces, pulling off his shoes and socks. This was going to make school interesting on Monday. Painful, but interesting.  
  
He had had his fair share of bruised ribs in his lifetime, but it always seemed twice as bad he remembered it. Mother nature's revenge for not listening the first time.  
  
Slowly, he shed the rest of his clothes, and slid under the blanket. Fumbling in his nightstand drawer he found the bottle of Tylenol he kept there. He dry swallowed two of the bitter pills before turning off the lamp.  
  
Sunshine knew at least a few of his punches had connected with Randy's face the other night. He only hoped the other boy's eyes we're swollen shut by Monday. Smug bastard. _*_*  
  
Sunshine rested his forehead against the cool metal of his locker, shutting out the dull roar of the crowd pushing past him. He wasn't quite sure how, but he had managed to make it through the day. His ribs still protested, but he found if he didn't breathe too deeply or move to fast he could keep the pain under control.  
  
Breathe shallow. Move slow. Breathe Shallow. Move slow. Yeah right. Sure, it worked when all he had to worry about was staying awake during French. But in three hours, the Titans were going up against one of the toughest football teams around. Just thinking about it made his ribs hurt  
  
"Hey Sunshine. Why so quiet man?" Gerry shoved an armful of books into his locker, slamming the door shut before they fell out again.  
  
"Thinking." Sunshine straightened his shoulders, falling in step behind his teammate. "About the game?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Ah, don't worry. We haven't lost one yet."  
  
"Yet."  
  
Gerry laughed at Sunshine's less than sunny outlook. "Where were you Saturday?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Saturday. The day after Friday. Comes before Sunday. We were supposed to go over some old plays."  
  
Oh yeah, Saturday. Sunshine had completely forgotten about that, until Bertier said something. "Sorry man, I slept through most of it. I didn't remember-"  
  
"S'allright. Hey, I got to go. See you at the game?"  
  
"Yeah. Sure." Sunshine waited until the linebacker had jogged out of hearing range. Wrapping one arm around his side to brace the impact, he slung his bag over his shoulder. "If I live that long." 


	5. Chap 4

-*_*_* Chapter 4   
  
Sunshine quickly swallowed the pills he was holding, shoving the empty bottle back in his bag, wishing his hand would stop shaking. This was insane; he hadn't had pre-game jitters for years. He closed his eyes, concentrating on the conversations around him. Before the game, the locker rooms nearly vibrated with nervous energy. Talk ranging from the new cheerleader, to the game plan, to who was hosting the victory party. It was easy to lose yourself.  
  
He was so focused on the voices; he jumped when he felt a warm hand on his arm.  
  
"Calm down, man, it's just me." Petey was staring at him, eyebrows raised.  
  
"Hey Petey. Where've you been?" He tried to act casual.  
  
"Trying to get your attention for the past five minutes. You were  
starting to scare me there, man."  
  
"Sorry." Wincing slightly, Sunshine pulled off his shirt, turning to throw it in the locker. He reached up, worrying with the knot in his choker.  
  
"Jesus Christ, Sunshine!" Petey was staring at his chest, almost as if he was expecting something to pop out of it.  
  
"Keep your voice down." He had gotten used to the sore ribs, forgetting no one else had seen them. "Just a couple bruises, it's nothing."  
  
"That's a whole lot of nothing, man."  
  
Blue rounded a corner, followed by Alan, both already geared up for the game. "What's wrong Petey? Sunshine been kissing people ag-". Blue's comment fell flat. "Sunshine! What the hell happened to you?"  
  
Petey answered at the same time, rolling his eyes. "Nothing." "Yeah right."  
  
Sunshine cradled his ribs protectively, uncomfortable with all the attention. " Just some souvenirs from a fight. It's no big deal."  
  
"Fight?" Blue tried to catch his eye, but Sunshine was staring at a spot on the wall beside his head. "This happened Friday. Didn't it?" It wasn't really a question, and the other boy's silence confirmed his theory. "Uh- huh only a block away huh? You'd be fine huh? Fine my ass."  
  
"Calm down, it looks worse than it is."  
  
"That ain't sayin' much Sunshine"  
  
Sunshine pulled on his shoulder pads, trying to settle them comfortably, and tugging on his jersey. He could hear the band warming up near the locker room. His heart started beating faster. The adrenaline was starting to seep into his veins, making him slightly dizzy. As long as he could keep the rush going, he wouldn't be able to feel the pain. Piece of cake.  
  
"You sure you should be playing, Sunshine? You don't look too good."  
  
"I've been playing with bruised ribs for years, I'll be fine." That seemed to satisfy Alan, but Blue still didn't look convinced.  
  
"Sunshine, -"  
  
"Lay off Blue." Sunshine snapped at the defensive tackle, as Coach Boone walked in and jumped right into his pre-game pep talk. " Now, We're going to walk out on the field, we're going to hold our heads high."  
  
Sunshine tuned out after the first few words. He didn't mean too, but he was just too nervous too listen. It wasn't the pain he was worried about, he was scared his reflexes would be too slow. He needed to be a hundred and ten percent on his game.  
  
"We are the Titans! And no one's greater than the Titans!"  
  
'Dunno about that one Coach, The Greek Gods finally did chain them  
down' Sunshine broke out of his morbid thoughts and glanced at Blue.  
The big mother hen was still staring at him.  
  
He grinned as they danced out on the field, to the roar of the crowd. "Don't worry Man, I'll be fine."  
  
"I've heard that one before." _*_*_* Sunshine kept his eye on the ball, the world fading around the boundaries of the field. The nervousness he had felt in the locker room had shifted to a calm resolve. There was no place in his current mindset for pain. As soon as the game was over, he would deal with it. But right now, it was time to play.  
  
The Titans lined up to receive the kickoff, Rev charging forward to catch the ball. Sunshine flew to block for the boy, slamming into the offensive tackles heading for the running back with the ball. Rev was taken down at the thirty-fourth yard line.  
  
The rest of the game passed in a blur, each team gaining and losing ground in turn. They were too evenly matched, too good. Neither yielding enough for the other to secure a lead.  
  
So the Titans found themselves with the ball at the end of the fourth quarter, the game riding on the last play. Sunshine wiped the palms of his hands on his legs. Just one touchdown. That's all they needed. No. problem.  
  
"Red 54. Red 54. Hike!" He received the ball, stepping back. He hesitated a fraction of a second, and then launched the ball. His head snapped back, watching the football spiral, reaching the height of its arc, as the linebacker tackled him, helmet slamming into his chest.  
  
A bright flash of pain distorted his vision, warping the stadium lights until they became streaks of fire at the corner of his vision. It was getting hard to breathe, and he could feel something give in his chest with every gasp.  
  
"And the Titans win again! 14 to 10!"  
  
Sunshine closed his eyes, smiling past the pain. They had done it. Still undefeated. Greater even than the gods. Damn it hurt to smile. He slowed his breathing, allowing himself to control the pain.  
  
Lying there, hours seemed to pass, though it must have been only seconds. The crowd was still roaring.  
  
"Sorry about that" The linebacker that had tackled him had gotten to his feet, holding out a hand. Sunshine gratefully accepted the help, gasping.  
  
"No problem. That's how it's played." He smiled up at the larger player. "Great Game."  
  
"MacLawhorn! Get over here!" The Linebacker looked over his shoulder at the coach.  
  
"Yeah. Great Game." He jogged off to join the rest of his team. "Coming!"  
  
Sunshine took off his helmet, letting it dangle from his fingers. He tried to ignore the sharp spikes of pain in his ribs. Shaking his head, he joined the celebrating Titans, staying near the edge of the crowd.  
  
"Alright." Coach Boone whistled to get the boys' attention. "All right. We did good tonight. The whole team did good. Now go get dressed." _*_*_  
  
The locker room was filled with laughter and high spirits, a radio sending out tendrils of soul music. Sunshine brushed the wet hair out of his eyes, tucking the unruly strands behind his ear. He had managed to avoid too much attention, concentrating instead on getting dressed and getting out as soon as possible.  
  
The pain wove through his chest, tightening like a band of steel around his ribs. It was a fight, keeping it at bay. He hadn't been lying, he had played with worse than bruises before, but it had never felt like this.  
  
"Hey Sunshine man, great game." Julius slapped the quarterback firmly on the back, heading for the showers.  
  
Sunshine didn't even have time to brace himself. A tongue of fire singed his chest, spreading through his body, freezing his lungs. A fog creeped into his vision, staining the locker room red. The voices buzzed in and out, only the soft strains of soul , unaffected, becoming louder.  
  
The music took over, as the pain overloaded his senses. And for the first time in his life, Sunshine let go.  
  
"Sunshine?" the locker room rang , everyone noticing the fallen quarterback . "Jesus." blue said hurrying over to his unconscious friend. Julius turned around abruptly, staring in shock at his friend. "Someone call boone!" Petey yelled over the buzz kneeling down with blue. Alan nodded quickly and full out ran to the coaches main office.  
  
Sunshine stirred , opening his bright cerulean eyes and gazing around the room. He tried to move but the pain protested immensely, sending him into another whirl or colors. "Bro.dotn you dare even try to move this time.fine my black ass." Blue said half angrily..pushing sun down by his shoulders.  
  
"I'm fine" Sunshine grunted, pushing blue off of him. He carefully rose to a sitting position on the cold locker room floor, swatting at anyone who tried to touch him. Gerry stood over him, shaking his head.  
  
"You aren't invincible sun...a mans gotta admit when he is hurtin bad." Gerry said eyeing sunshines heavy and labored breaths.  
  
"Move." a firm voice echoed through the locker room. Boone made his way through the sea of players and knelt down next to the fallen titan. "You better have a pretty damn good explanation for this one Ronnie.." boone said.  
  
"It's nothin' coach..just some bruises and fatigue." Sunshine lied through gritted teeth...why couldn't they just let him get out of here and home.  
  
"Show him the bruises ..." Blue demanded...  
  
Sunshine grimaced and shot a nasty glare at blue. He slowly lifted up his white shirt to reveal a sea of blacks blues and yellows. Boones eyes widened, as he took in the almost gutwrenching sight. "Hospital..now." He stated not even asking whether it was okay with sun or not.  
  
"I said I was fine coach.." Sunshine said angrily, now trying to get to his feet. He grunted several times, pulling himself up by holding onto the locker. He could feel the cold beads of sweat dripping down his forehead, the locker room started to faze in and out once again. This was serious.  
  
"Sunshine?" the words echoed through his head as he felt himself falling once more.but this time it was different... no strength left... sunshine knew he was in serious trouble. 


End file.
